Three Weeks
by Saphlie
Summary: He's what you could call Mr. Popular. She's just a hotheaded girl. And they DESPISE each other. What will happen when they are forced to live in the same house? The answer is chaos. SoKai, with a few other pairings mentioned
1. Chapter 1

**I can't think of anything interesting to write up here… so just read and review, OK?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts and that is very depressing indeed.**

**Chapter One**

**And so the _i_nsanity that old _f_ogeys call _s_chool comes to an _e_nd**

**By _Y_ours _T_ruly a.k.a _S_aphyre _I_nferno**

**whAt_E_VeR**

"Oh yay! Fweeeee! Jubilation! Calloo, callay! This is great! Absolutely _spiffing_!" Selphie Tilmitt was singing at the top of her voice, accompanied by a merry little dance.

Normally, this would've been a source of endless enjoyment to her friends, since Selphie's dancing skills were **abysmal**, and made her look very funny indeed. However, today was a different day. Selphie had chosen to boogie down in the middle of the street, attracting very dubious looks, and was embarrassing her friends like there was no tomorrow.

Kairi Shirogane was blushing so much her face matched her red hair.

Naminé Yoshizumi looked like she wanted the ground wanted to swallow her up.

Olette Ikumi was attempting to contain her laughter, without much success.

Even Yuffie Kisaragi, who could've rivalled Selphie when it came to being hyperactive, looked mildly annoyed and refused to join in with Selphie's festivities.

"C'mon, Selphie," Kairi said, glaring at her. "It's not as if were gonna have holidays forever, you know."

"But Kaikai, we won't have school for a grand total of two months! You must be really happy too!" Selphie squealed.

"Don't call me Kaikai! I'm **not** a poodle!"

"We're all happy, Selphie, but… ho hum… I hate to say this… BUT WE THINK THAT YOU ARE ACTING VERY HYPER, EVEN MORE HYPER THAN YUFFIE WHEN SHE'S HIGH ON SUGAR! ("I'm not hyper!")" Olette blurted out.

"Aww, c'mon guys- don't be such killjoys," Selphie said, pouting at them. "At least we all have some time to recharge before eleventh grade starts."

Yuffie shuddered. "Don't mention eleventh grade. I hate to think of all the homework we're gonna get then. That's so mean, since I am joining the soccer team on Mondays, the art club on Tuesdays, the basketball team on Thursdays and I'm also getting extra French on Fridays. And have I mentioned-"

"Your karate lessons on Saturdays, yeah, you told us," Naminé finished for her, shaking her golden head. "Yuffie, don't you think you're overloading yourself a bit? I mean, wanting to do lots of things is OK, but you're just reaching the point where it starts to get ridiculous."

Naminé was what one could call the groups "conscience". She possessed a decent amount of common sense (compared to her insane friends) and was one very artistic person.

Dark-haired Yuffie was the go-getter of the group. Energetic, (hyper)active and sporty, she enjoyed anything that involved balls, running, martial arts and candy.

Selphie was, undoubtedly, the romantic one. Some of her main hobbies was playing matchmaker for an unsuspecting Kairi and reading sappy romance novels, not to mention flirting with boys.

Olette was a living brain who always got great grades in school and was constantly reminding her fellow procrastinators of the homework they were not about to do.

And Kairi?

Well.

Kairi thought there wasn't very much she could say about herself.

OK, OK, she got pretty good grades in school and was mildly attractive, but… in contrast to her friends, Kairi felt boring and uninteresting. She wasn't artistic or sporty or flirty or a hard worker, only herself.

_Oh come on, Kairi, don't start your "poor little me" monologue AGAIN. You're one great person, and you know that._

"Buzz off, conscience," Kairi thought.

Probably she was the only sixteen-year-old girl on the planet who still had regular conversations with her conscience, too.

Man, was she _weird_.

Selphie's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

"My parents have stopped being so tight-fisted and have given me a raise in my allowance!" she chattered. "Which means… I'll treat you all to an ice-cream!"

Being rather low on budget herself, this wasn't an offer Kairi was about to refuse.

--------

Twenty minutes later

---------

Licking their ice-creams in silence, the girls were sitting on their favourite place- a tatty old bench in the park which was shaded by several cherry trees they could practically call home (on weekdays at approximately three-thirty after school, mind you).

"You know what, gals? We should get together and have a sleepover sometime soon. We haven't had one for ages… not with all the revising we had to do for those idiot exams a while ago," Selphie said. She licked her lips, savouring her lemon-flavoured ice-cream.

"By a sleepover you mean a night full of telling each other girly secrets, giving each other makeovers and playing truth or dare, right?" Kairi asked warily. Selphie nodded. "Well, that sort of stuff isn't exactly my idea of heaven (apart from truth or dare, of course) but since our lives are dominated with school work, why not?"

"I'd come- as long as you have candy! I heart candy!" Yuffie had already finished her snack, which, lamentably, had made her go slightly hyper. Sugar ALWAYS made her hyper, whether they liked it or not.

"Sounds fun!" Olette squealed, rootling through her bag for her diary. "Here we go! When do you guys wanna do it?"

"How 'bout the 8th?"

"Nah- I'm on holiday then," Naminé said.

"The 13th?"

"That's OK with me. What about you?"

"I'm free."

"Same here."

"We all are."

"Great! Who's house?" Selphie gushed excitedly.

"My mom won't be here on that day- she's got this conference somewhere," Kairi said. "So how about we all come to mine?"

"Yeah."

"So all we need now is to check it out with our parents and we're set!" Olette scribbled down the date in her diary and closed it with a snap.

"Oh, dunking donuts!" Naminé jumped up. "I totally forgot! I was going to meet someone today!"

"Ooh! A date!? Who is it?" Selphie looked up at her friend, her eyes wide with a mixture of surprise and delight.

"Never mind that- gotta go." Naminé bent down to pick up her bag and broke into a run. "Sorry 'bout that! Talk to you guys later!"

"That is so not like Naminé,"a puzzled Olette said. Yuffie, Kairi and Selphie knew exactly what she meant- Naminé wasn't the sort of person who forgot about important appointments and most of the time she told her friends all the details about an upcoming date.

"I wonder who it is though," Selphie sighed. "It better not be someone hot! 'Coz if it is, I'm gonna be insanely jealous."

"I'd be surprised if there were any hot guys in the vicinity!" Kairi laughed, brushing a strand of auburn hair out of her face so it wouldn't get stuck in her strawberry flavoured ice cream.

"Oh yes there are!" Olette exclaimed. "Roxas, for example."

"Oh yes! And Sora and Riku and that Cloud Strife person who delivers pizzas and Leon and Takashi who is on the soccer team and Yamato Ishida in twelfth grade and Syaoran Li who is dating that cheerleader Sakura and-"

"That's enough, Selphie! Hey, wait a minute… you actually categorized Sora Haruno as hot? Hahaha! That was the funniest joke of the year!" Kairi burst out laughing. "He's about as hot as a sea snail!"

"No he's not! He's real cute!"

"Dream on."

"You're just denying it because you don't like him."

"Seriously, he isn't that good-looking."

"He is too!"

"Is not."

"IS TOO!"

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

"I'm home, Mom!" Kairi yelled as she closed the door.

"Wait a sec, Kairi's home." Her mother stepped out of the kitchen, holding the telephone. "Hi, sweetie! Did you have a good day?"

Kairi pulled her brown school shoes off and slipped her feet into her white slippers. "Yeah. Who's on the phone?"

"Yukari." Her mom smiled at her, then carried on jabbering on the phone. "Yes, she's OK. And how's that boy of yours doing?"

_Aha… so she's on the phone to Sora's mother. Not that I mind too much. Mrs. Haruno is really nice. Shame I can't say the same thing about her son, _thought Kairi. She ambled across the hall into the living room and flopped down on the tattered red sofa that her father never let her mother throw out. Her father. Kairi felt tears come to her eyes. This was supposed to be the beginning of the summer holidays, a HAPPY time, so it was not the right moment to think about sad things.

Sighing, Kairi switched the T.V. on and flicked through the channels, hoping to come across something good. Nup. Everything was either programs for little kids, and there was no way anyone could get Kairi to watch a repeat of Teletubbies or Barney the Dinosaur. Probably the only decent thing on was some sort of old-fashioned black-and-white "comedy" with jokes that were barely funny. Yawn.

Kairi loosened her blue school tie and fanned herself with one of her mother's T.V. guides. Man, it was hot, but that was nothing new in this part of the Destiny Islands, especially in late June. She would have to ask her parents if they could finally get air conditioning. When she had last asked them they had replied with "Come ON, Kairi, you know air conditioning is going to make the world much, much hotter. Sheesh, don't they teach kids anything about global warming these days?" It wasn't as if the world was going to combust with only one more system.

Her mom walked in, looking very pleased with herself. "Kairi, I have some great news for you."

Kairi's heart leapt. "Are we getting air conditioning?"

Mrs. Shirogane frowned. "What _are_ you talking about? No, it's much better." Her grin returned. "Sora is coming to stay with us in the holidays!"

_Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat? _Kairi was mortified. This couldn't happen. "Mom, are you SURE you haven't made some sort of mistake?"

"No, of course not. Yukari and Hiroyuki are visiting their friends in Agrabah, and Sora wouldn't have very much to do there. Anyways, he's got this summer job here which he doesn't really want to give up just yet and-"

"Do I care what sort of summer job he has?" Kairi interrupted. "For how long are the Harunos gone?"

"Only for three weeks." Mrs. Shirogane smiled innocently.

Her daughter's jaw dropped in shock. "THREE BLOODY WEEKS?! No. Way. I am not going to put up with a total jerk for three whole weeks on the trot. Why doesn't he go stay with Riku or Roxas? They are his best friends (and I thought they were semi-sensible guys) and in case you have failed to notice, Sora and I hate each other."

"Oh, yes, I do remember that you two had a little quarrel a few years back ("Understatement of the century," muttered Kairi) but shouldn't you see it as the perfect opportunity to make up?" Mrs. Shirogane suggested.

Kairi glared at her. "Sora Haruno totally HUMILIATED me in front of the entire world, Mom, and if you are crazy enough to believe that we could remain in the same house for three weeks without waging World War Three, let alone make up, then you must be the dumbest person on earth," she exploded. "Why doesn't he stay at his own house, anyway? It's not as if he's still in preschool."

"Yukari was a little worried about Sora and wanted him to stay with people that she trusted." Mrs. Shirogane paused. "But the truth is… both of us are a little annoyed at the way you and Sora deal with each other. I mean, you two had an argument over something so trivial. You two were really close before that and you got along well. Then Yukari had the idea of letting Sora stay here so you kids could maybe get used to each other and at least accept each other."

"Well, I'm sorry to say that Yukari's plan will certainly fail but if that's the way it is… oh well. Three weeks will hopefully be over in no time," Kairi sighed, admitting defeat. She stood up. "Well, I'm going on MSN. Bye."

As she walked up the stairs, her mother called after her "I'll bet you 5000 munny that you two will be friends again by the end of the three weeks, if not more than that."

"Fine, then I'll bet you 5000 munny that we'll still hate each other as much as we do now. And what the hell do you mean with 'or maybe even more'? Are you some sort of matchmaker?"

"You'll see."

Kairi booted up the computer and logged on to MSN. Selphie and Olette were already online.

**Shirozora: hi**

**KawaiiGurl: ello kaikai!!!**

**Shirozora: don't call me that.**

**EmeraldOllie: Boo people**

**Shirozora: The worlds about to be destroyed**

**EmeraldOllie: OMG noooooo!**

**KawaiiGurl: why? did u ask someone out??? did he say no?**

**Shirozora: ofcourse not**

**EmeraldOllie: kai hasnt asked any1 out since the sixth grade and even then she got me to do it for her**

Kairi felt her cheeks redden. _Nooooooooooo. Olette CAN'T do this to me!_

**Shirozora: Thanx Olette for telling the whole world dat**

**KawaiiGurl: ooooowee who was it?**

Hunh. Typical Selphie to stick her nose in.

**EmeraldOllie: it was**

**Shirozora: shuddup ollie**

**KawaiiGurl: plz who was it????????????????**

**Sk8border: hi gals**

**EmeraldOllie: roxas omg hi how are ya doing anything in the holidays?**

**Sk8border: you talk too much**

HA. Now she could get Olette back for nearly telling Selphie about… oh well.

**Shirozora: its cuz she luurves you**

**KawaiiGurl: hahahaha that's right**

**Sk8border: oh my… I feel honoured :-) **

**EmeraldOllie: do not**

**Sk8border: waaah :-(**

**KawaiiGurl: olette how dare u break poor roxies heart **

**Shirozora: Guess what guys and gals i have a major problem**

**EmeraldOllie: fire way**

**Sk8border: Wassup**

**KawaiiGurl: ooh which boy was it this time?**

**EmeraldOllie: SELPHIE!**

**Shirozora: typical selphie. no it wasnt a guy well it is**

**KawaiiGurl: look shes admitting it**

**Shirozora: but i certainly wouldn't want to date him**

**Sk8border: what happnd **

**Shirozora: …….**

**EmeraldOllie: cmon spit it out**

**Shirozora: sora has to stay at my house for 3 weeks**

**EmeraldOllie: yung luv ;-)**

**Sk8border: dont get up to anything naughty, ok?**

**Shirozora: what the HELL do u mean I hate him**

**KawaiiGurl: im SO jealous! soras too kyuuute**

Why oh why did all the girls in the world like Sora? It wasn't if he was a five-star hottie.

**Sk8border: but not as cute as me**

**EmeraldOllie: dream on roxas…**

**Sk8border: I thought you were ment to have a crush on me?!**

**EmeraldOllie: who told you that**

**Sk8border: Selphie**

**EmeraldOllie: selphies not the most reliable source of information**

**Shirozora: Die Sora Die**

**thekey: did sum1 mention my name?**

_Oh CRAPODOODLE. _Kairi glared at the computer screen. FANTASTIC. Now her favourite person on earth was also online. And she had assumed that she would have at least a nanosecond of peace chatting to her friends.

**Shirozora: holy crap its you that does it im logging off**

**thekey: isn't she lovely oO oh yah has your mom told u yet**

**Shirozora: yup. why don't you push off to Agrabah with your parents instead of invading my house????????????????**

**thekey: id be bored and anyway its more fun making u mad**

**Shirozora: I soooooooooooooooooooooo hate u**

**EmeraldOllie: turtledoves aren't they**

**Sk8border: yup hey wed better leave them alone…**

Great help Roxas and Olette were.

**KawaiiGurl: hey boys, kairi, yuffie, namine, olette and i are having a sleepover at kairis on the 13th of july do u 2 wanna come**

**Shirozora: selphie? how dare u! this sleepover is at my house!**

**thekey: to a sleepover??? isn't that a little bit wrong? I mean a boy/girl one…. watever. id be there anyway**

**Shirozora: you have such dirty thoughts sora… you PERVERT**

**KawaiiGurl: calm down. perhaps not to sleep over but… hey we can have a party!! kais mom wont b there. the girls can still sleep over, though. boys… mayb not**

**Shirozora: oh BLAH. since sora would have to be there we may as well invite roxas too and make Olette happy.**

**Sk8border: yeah. I have 2 go now ill phone 1 of u for details**

**thekey: another day to make kairis life hell. what joy!! can the other dudes come 2? I mean hayner pence and riku.**

**Shirozora: soraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!! I hate u! oh sry roxas. bye. see ya!**

**EmeraldOllie: bye roxas ;-) **

**KawaiiGurl: bye! and yeah they can come.**

**thekey: how come u 3 r all here right now anyway**

**Shirozora: well, smart one, we agreed to go on msn at a specific time.**

**thekey: ohhhhh**

**Shirozora: its not rocket science or anything**

Sora was so dumb Kairi was surprised that he hadn't been held back several grades.

**thekey: I guess id better not stick around so I don't have to listen to your girly chitchat.**

**MIGHTY ONE: girly oO has selphie corrupted your mind?**

**thekey: ahaha Yuffie you changed your screen name**

**MIGHTY ONE: yeah and…?**

**thekey: should be "hyper one".**

Kairi couldn't help smirking. No one could call Yuffie hyper and survive.

**KawaiiGurl: oh no….**

**EmeraldOllie: poor, poor you**

**Shirozora: In approximately five seconds you shall feel the wrath of yuffie kisaragi.**

**thekey: the wrath of yuffie kisaragi?**

**MIGHTY ONE: how DARRRREEEEE you call me hyper! just because I like to eat candy and I play sports a lot and I tend to talk a lot doesn't make me hyper! hyhygytgftrytghhyuhyuhyhyuyyghbhgbhu llfhlhfbhjjhjhynynhjnnvb bvh bv bvh gbvhgbvhgbvgbvgbgbhbggbgbhhhgbhhhbgb**

**thekey: erm… what was that at the end?**

**Shirozora: shes banging her head on the keyboard.**

**KawaiiGurl: I gotta go now… see ya guys!**

**EmeraldOllie: me 2. bye**

**thekey: wait! don't leave me here alone with a hyperactive wannabe ninja and a crazy lunatic!**

**Shirozora: I heard that!**

**MIGHTY ONE: t6ytyytyutgyythtuytry fgvgthytgfhygftgughytgyfuhytghyuhyuyghyyhytyyhyyhyghyttghyytgytytytytgyt**

**thekey: ok yuffie… chill out.**

**Shirozora: since only the insane people are here I think ill log off too. bye yuffie.**

**thekey: wait!**

**Shirozora: what now….**

**thekey: nothing.**

Irritated, Kairi shut the computer down. So much for sympathy. She had hoped that at least her friends would share her pain but the response that she had received was not what she had imagined. Selphie was extremely jealous and Olette only teased her about what she had put as "yung luv". Ha. Ha. Ha. How hilarious. Not.

Grimacing, Kairi walked over to her bed and let herself fall onto the soft mattress. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It had been an exhausting day.

She was on the verge of drifting to sleep when a sudden thought hit her.

She would be in the same house as a complete brat for three weeks.

Three whole weeks.

Three whole weeks of vacation wasted.

Crapodoodle.

Kairi decided that when she woke up again, the first thing she would do would be to buy a doll, name it Sora and stick pins in its head. Then it would resemble him, too.

Cackling evilly, Kairi pulled the blanket over her body and tried to get to sleep, but was plagued with horrid nightmares of boys with spiky hair.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

**Whew. I'm actually done with chapter one of this thing. Sorry if it is boring or has much illogical babble in it but introduction to the story and most of the content was written between 10 and 11 at night when my writing ability isn't that fantastic.**

**I would write more in this part here but it is 11:17 pm right now and I am really tired. This may not seem that late but when you've been waking up at five in the morning because your alarm clock went wrong then it IS.**

**Whatever.**

**Hope you liked chapter one. Now I'll hand you over to Kirika, my new "assistant" who will be doing the disclaimer in the next chapters.**

**Kirika: Hi! Saphyre has told me to tell you that she wants you to send reviews or she will send the evil cheese monsters from hell to eat up your souls. Also, if you have any questions, then feel free to PM her.**

**Saphyre Inferno**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello! Sooooo… here is the second chapter of Three Weeks! Jubilation!**

**I would like to say thanks to the people that reviewed chapter one. I'm glad people are actually reading this.**

**Well, I won't bore you with my boring babble and get on to the fic.**

**Kirika: Yay! I get to say something! Um… Saphyre doesn't own Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories or Kingdom Hearts 2 and is in no way affiliated with Disney or Square Enix. If she owned Kingdom Hearts, then Kairi would be a playable character.**

**_C_**_hapter **T**wo_

**_T_**he **_H_**i_ppo_ _**p**ays **a v**isit_

**_W_**_hatever. **A**gain._

**Sora Haruno **was not in the best of moods.

One could even say he was pretty pissed off.

His day had gotten off to be a good start. It had been the last day of school and he had received fairly decent grades on his report card.

If only the rest of the day had been that successful.

_**F**lashbac**k**_

"Hey mom, I'm back!" Sora kicked off his scuffed school shoes.

"Hello, honey," his mother called back. "How was your day?"

"Oh, a little too normal if you ask me." He galumphed into the living room where his mother was reading a detective novel. "When are we going to eat and what are you going to try to poison us with today?"

"Sora! Talk to me like that and you'll be the one cooking!" Sora's mother playfully swatted him with her book. "And we all know what that portends!"

"Hmm… I'm not sure… burnt spaghetti? That's the only thing I can cook!" Sora joked. "Seriously, though. When can I expect to stuff my face?"

"In about two hours. Have some fruit or some toast if you are hungry," Yukari replied. "Oh yes, Sora dear, there's something I would like to talk to you about."

"Fire away."

"You know that your dad and I are going to Agrabah in a few days and you mentioned that you weren't so keen on coming with us?"

"Yeah?" Sora looked at his mother hopefully. Maybe his parents had finally seen sense and were going to let him stay here.

"We've fixed something up so you can stay here over vacation!"

Sora couldn't believe his ears. His overprotective, sometimes strict parents were allowing him to remain at home? ALONE? This would be so fun. "You- you really mean it?" he said, stunned. "Wow. Thanks, Mom."

"You're welcome! Anyway, as I was saying- we've fixed you up to stay with Chiyo and Kairi until we come back. I hope that that is OK with you."

Oh. Oh. OH NO. "WHAT?"

"We've arranged for you to live with Kairi and Chiyo until our return! Isn't that great?" Yukari said, grinning naively at her son, who was glaring at her.

"NO IT IS NOT GREAT. Mom, Kairi Shirogane is my worst enemy! Why do I have to go there and not to Roxas' or Riku's place?"

"But we've known the Shirogane family forever! I'm sure you'll have fun!"

"Mom, I can assure you that I definitely will **not** have fun- especially if Kairi Shirogane is going to be running around all day long, trying to murder me in the most brutal way invented."

Yukari's face stiffened. "Don't talk about Kairi in that way. She's a lovely girl."

"You don't have to put up with her every day!" Sora shouted. "You don't understand!"

"Sora Eisuke Haruno, don't bother arguing with me, because it's already settled," Yukari said bossily.

"But…"

"No buts."

_**E**nd of flashbac**k**_

It was a mystery to Sora why in the world his mother would make him stay at the Shirogane household, especially as he and Kairi tended to have … uh … heated discussions. Surely Yukari Haruno would've guessed that the two of them strongly disliked each other. Maybe 'hated' was a more appropriate word.

Why Sora and Kairi were rarely on speaking terms (their only form of communicating with each other was annoying or arguing with the other) was a mystery to the people around them. Neither Sora or Kairi had spoken about the incident that had made two firm friends fall apart.

Angrily, Sora gave his long forgotten teddy bear a punch. "This is _his_ entirefault!" he muttered. "If _he _hadn't turned up and been such an insensitive jerk then none of this would've happened! Kairi and I would still be friends and she wouldn't be making plans to kill me in the near future!"

_He_ was Eichii Ishikawa, an exchange student who had come from Hollow Bastion. Although Eichii had left the area a long time ago, Sora had loathed him from the depths of his soul and liked to blame all his problems on him.

Well. After his mother had given him this disturbing piece of information, Sora had retired to his bedroom and had _sulked, _as any sane person would've done after finding out that they were about to share a house with Little Ms. Perfect aka Kairi Shirogane (or so he thought). Then, after a long period of staring into space, he had gotten very bored and begged his mother to use the computer "to forget about the woe that is surrounding me- HEY! What are you staring at me for? I could be using drugs instead!" But his so-called woe was only multiplied when he had logged on to MSN where Kairi had shouted at him non-stop (well- as much as she could over the computer) and Yuffie had gone all … uh … _hyperactive _on him, which was **not **especially pleasant. Things had become worse when Kairi had logged off, because that meant he had to be alone with Yuffie, Ms. Hyper, who would only communicate with him to bang her head on the keyboard like a savage and to type "OMIGOSH ME HEART CANDY".

There was a knock on the door and his mother barged in.

"Didn't give me much time to respond, did you?" Sora said petulantly.

"Sorry- the telephone rang," Yukari said delightedly. "It's for you." She thrust it at him and exited the room with a cheery little wave.

"Hello?" Sora said into the phone. For a moment his spirit rose, because he had a distraction from the thought of you-know-who… but his spirits plummeted several thousands of meters down when he found out who it was.

"Sora, we have to do something about this! There is no way I'm going to let you invade my house- for THREE DAMN WEEKS!" a horribly familiar voice bellowed from the telephone.

"What? Kairi? Why are you talking to me?" Sora gasped in shock.

"BECAUSE I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO MAINTAIN MY SEMI-GOOD REPUTATION!" Kairi screamed. Sora could feel himself getting very angry… indeed.

"How the hell could I damage your reputation?"

"Because you are so… so… uh… abnormally DUMB!"

"Are you implying that I am retarded?"

"No! I'm implying that I don't like you!"

There was an uncomfortable silence.

Although he would never have admitted it… these words stung Sora. Kairi had said this to him so many times before… and he had replied with words of a similar nature… he should be used to it by now. But… they hurt. For an inexplicable reason, they hurt.

"Fine then, Ms. Smartass, what do you suggest we do to stop it?" Sora's voice was quiet.

"We're gonna simply have to talk to our senile parents."

"And how's that going to change things? It's already settled."

"Well, they HAVE to listen to us! We're their kids, for goodness' sake!"

"Kairi… it's not that simple," Sora said. "You're forgetting that we live in a world where teenagers don't count." There was silence from the other end of the phone. "Why don't we just leave it?"

"LEAVE IT! You mean remain in the same place for an immensely long time? Nuh-uh," Kairi exploded. "We don't have to submit to their awful demands! WE CAN FIGHT IT!"

"Stop exaggerating everything, you sound like an anime character," Sora grumbled. It wasn't just his imagination… Kairi was really going nuts.

"Well ANYWAY-"

"Shut up, OK? I still want to stay here, even if it means I'll need to live with you for a while."

"You're so **selfish**, Sora."

"Thanks for the compliment."

"HUMPH. Bye."

"Bye."

_Gee, why does she have to be so difficult? _Sora thought to himself as he went downstairs to replace the phone on its hook. He didn't deserve this. He wasn't a bad person. Or… WAS HE? Perhaps some prominent deity had decided that he was not good enough for this world and sent the evil beasties from hell to make his life terrible. Oh JOY.

And at that exact moment the doorbell rang.

_Oh._

_Please._

_Don't be…_

_HER!_

However, he needn't have worried, but he still had to endure a little SURPRISE.

As he answered the door, he found himself face to face to chest with Riku Kimura, his best friend, who was strangely tall today.

Yes, that seemed normal enough until Sora noticed…

WHAT…

THE...

HELL…

HE…

WAS…

WEARING.

Here, standing in front of him, was the coolest, most-sought after guy in the school dressed in what seemed like a lot of neon green and pink floral, huge sunglasses, flared magenta pants, not to mention terrifyingly high platform shoes.

Sora's mouth positively sagged. He gestured weakly at this … uh… _colourful_ outfit. "What-is-that-supposed-to-be?" he gasped. Riku grinned cheekily.

"My dad had brought down several boxes of his old clothes from the sixties and seventies and said that my sister and I could use them for whatever we wanted. So we did," Riku replied cheerfully. "Cool, huh?" He did a little twirl.

"Aaaah… I get it now! You're supposed to be one of those guys who think peace rocks… YES! They're called, um, hippos, right?"

Riku sighed in exasperation. "No, you dimwit, those people are hippies, not overlarge animals that swim in water. Mix them up and you're a goner."

"Hippies… of course… aha.. well… that really is interesting, Riku," Sora stuttered.

OK, everyone admitted that Riku was a little unpredictable but that was what made being friends with him so enjoyable. Still, this was very odd. EXTREMELY ODD. However, Riku was the sort of person who rarely lost their cool and it was unlikely that wearing a pink and neon green shirt was going to make him freak out (unless a VERY attractive girl came within a radius of 2 meters of him).

"Surprised, huh?" Riku smiled. "I thought so."

"Riku Kimura- always good for a surprise," Sora said. He burst out laughing. "Seriously, Riku, what is this all about? You always made fun of those hippo… sorry, hippy… clothes. And look at you now! Is this some scheme to attract girls with your uniqueness?"

"Aw, am I really that predictable?" Riku grumbled. "So… am I going to wait outside all day long or are you going to invite me in?"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Of course you can come in!" Sora held the door wide open. "Is this OK, your hipponess?"

Riku took a wobbly step forward. "Yeah- just let me take these confounded platform shoes off!"

"Riku? Is that you?" a male voice called from the living room.

"Yeah! Hi, Mr. Haruno."

"Dad, come quickly, Riku is wearing stupid clothes and I think he's going bonkers."

"Riku in ugly clothes? That's something new."

Hiroyuki Haruno strolled into the hallway and did a double-take when he saw Riku. "Oh my gawd. Have you gone through a time warp, boy? It's the year 2007 and you're geared up as if you're living back in the sixties," he laughed. "Hey, that gives me an idea. Yukari?" he called.

"Yes, honey?" Mrs. Haruno's voice echoed from upstairs.

"Do you know where we put my old clothes from back when I was Sora's age?"

"In the basement."

"Good! And the camera?"

"It's on your desk."

"Ta."

"Why do you need them, anyway?" Yukari asked.

"You'll see."

_L_ater _o_n

"Omigosh! This brings back so many old memories!" Yukari gushed as she eyed her son.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" roared Hiroyuki, snapping away with his camera. "It's like going back thirty years."

"Great! Now I have a twin!" Riku sniggered.

"Hmmph," snarled Sora. He didn't look too thrilled with his new attire.

Why in the world had he allowed his crazy father, his loony mother and a person who was _supposed_ to be his best pal dress him in these… these… **things**? He was wearing a lemon-coloured t-shirt with purple swirls, a turquoise pair of pants, star-framed sunglasses and, his mother had insisted, a sign that read "Make love not war!" (He was fortunate that his father had never owned platform shoes).

"I'm feeling stupid!" Sora yelled frantically. "This stuff is waaaay to bright and colourful. I want my old, decent clothes back!"

"But Sora, you should be happy that you have the chance to wear these!" his mother squealed. "You have real, authentic bits of history touching your skin!"

"That's the problem," Sora said. "They smell bad."

"C'mon, Sor, they don't look that dumb," Riku said.

"And anyway, your grandparents will love the pictures," Hiroyuki mumbled, mainly concentrating on taking photos.

"But what if anyone from school sees them? I'd die! Oh no. What if KAIRI were to see these photos?" Sora shouted.

"Oh. Now I see the problem," Hiroyuki said. "He doesn't want us to show the photos to Kairi so he won't need to feel embarrassed in front of his girlfriend."

"How true." Yukari gave a dreamy sigh. "They're so darn cute together. They'd produce lovely grandchildren, too."

"Yes! No- I mean NO! Kairi isn't my girlfriend!" Sora bellowed. "Why are you even commenting on grandchildren? That's just gross!"

"Sora and Kairi, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby in the baby carriage," Riku singsonged, only to receive a lethal glare from Sora.

"Let me make this clear to you. I. Really. Do. NOT. Like. Kairi. She is an impatient, snappy little twit and we hate each other! OK, we were best friends at one point, but that pathetic little Eichii put an end to that! Anyway, now Kairi and I are famous for our bickering and to make matters worse she blames everything that happened then on me! I mean, its not my fault that she left her diary lying around where I would mistake it for my notebook-"

"Aww… listen to Sora. He's so in love, yet doesn't want to admit it…oh, this is so touchingly cute I could cry," Yukari swooned, clasping her hands together. "My little boy is growing up!"

"Look, I don't like Kairi in the slightest, so stop it!" Sora exploded. He stormed out of the room.

Silence.

_Ho hum, _thought Sora. _Now I can use some quality time eavesdropping on people._

"Do you really think he hates Kairi? Is that the reason he's so touchy about it?" he heard Yukari say. "Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to let him stay at Chiyo's…"

His father grunted. "No, we did the right thing. They need to get used to each other."

"Sora is staying at Kairi's house? Why?" asked Riku. "Maybe he's just nervous about it. Kairi can be a little intimidating at times."

No, Kairi didn't intimidate Sora.

He was not nervous about going to her house.

The reason why he was so jumpy about this topic was because…

Yukari had hit the nail on the head.

……………………………

**So, I guess that was the end of chapter 2!**

**If you wondered why I stuck Riku in clothes from the sixties was because I was in a pretty random mood while writing this. Sorry if it's a boring idea… but it would look interesting.**

**Kirika: Actually, Saphyre is obsessed with the Beatles so she decided to make Riku dress like one of those hippo (sorry, hippy) people from the sixties!**

**Me: Shuddup Kirika grabs mallet ant hits Kirika**

**Kirika: Owww! That HURT! FINE, be that way. Saphyre wants you all to review or she'll send the little beasties from hell to make your lives miserable!**

**See ya.**

**Saphyre Inferno**


	3. Chapter 3

**Omigosh! We're already at chapter three of "Three Weeks"! **

… **Actually, that's not very far but it's the longest fanfiction I've ever written before.**

**Kudos to the people who reviewed. You guys have no idea how much I appreciate your reviews!**

**Ho hum. **

**Kirika: Saphyre, lamentably, does not own Kingdom Hearts. If she did, then I would demand her to make me a canon character!**

**Me: Shut up and lemme write. I also don't own the song "Paperback Writer" by The Beatles.**

**C**hapter **T**hree

**O**f

**T**hree **W**eeks

**W**ritten **b**y

**S**aphyre **I**nferno

Not many people would have believed that Kairi and Sora had at one point been extremely good friends. Even Kairi, who declared her hatred for Sora at least thrice a day, had admitted to herself (if not to anyone else) that she had had an immense crush on him several years ago. However, this obviously no longer applied to today.

It was all Sora's fault. If he hadn't been such a jerk and hadn't spilled the beans on one of her most guarded secrets, then the two of them of them would probably still be close friends today. It was also horrid of him to blame Eichii for everything that had passed between them.

Eichii was an exchange student from Hollow Bastion that had been transferred to Kairi's school back in sixth grade. He had been a very courteous, handsome and athletic boy- rather like what people would describe as a knight in shining armour. For an inexplicable reason, Sora couldn't stand him and the reason for that was still a mystery to Kairi.

-Five years ago (Kairi's POV)-

_It's a cold Saturday afternoon in January and snow is falling._

_I like snow. Snow is pretty and white and pure. Actually, scratch the pure. Snow is probably very dirty. I used to eat snow when I was little, but now I know it's a stupid thing to do._

_I'm going to the store to buy ingredients for the apple pie mom is going to bake tonight. Nothing much else is happening right now._

_Maybe Sora wants to come with me. Yeah! I'll go ask him. I'll be passing his house pretty soon so I'll check if he is free to come. He is one of my best friends; I can't ever decide who I like more, him, Riku, Olette, Roxas or Naminé. _

_I reach his door and ring the bell. It takes him a while to answer. Strange, usually he is down from his room in a matter of seconds. Finally, I hear a cracking noise. The door is being opened._

_I burst out laughing. Sora's wild hair has been unsuccessfully slicked back in an attempt to curb its rebellious tendencies. Also, he is wearing… a suit? Hilarious._

"_Shut up!" he hisses, mortified. "I'm only wearing this because my parent's colleagues have come over for lunch, so shut your trap!"_

"_Sorry, Sora. I don't think wearing posh clothes really suits you, ya know," I giggle. "Hey, d'you wanna come to the store with me? I need to buy some stuff for my mom to bake with."_

"_Sure, just give me a second to ask my mother," he says. "Mom? Kairi's at the door and she asked me if I want to go to the store with her," he hollers._

"_No, I thought you wanted to stay here and play with Katie," Mrs. Haruno calls. "You've agreed to eat with us and now you have to stick with it."_

"_Katie?" I ask suspiciously. "Who's Katie?"_

"_Oh, she's the daughter of my parent's colleagues," Sora said. "She's really-" He was cut off by a small girl who had just arrived at his side._

"_Hello you, I'm Katie Yamazaki and I am playing with So-kun today so you can go away now," she says insistently. _

_What a brat. I mean, So-kun indeed! I plaster a smile on my face. "Hello, Katie, my name is Kairi Shirogane," I say in a forced friendly tone. "How old are you?"_

"_Ten," she replies. "I may be small but my parents say that I'm very smart and mature for my age." She tosses her black ringlets at Sora and blinks her large green eyes at him._

_I don't know whether to laugh or to glare. "Oh, that's nice. So what exactly are you playing with Sora?"_

"_Mommies and Daddies," Katie says. "I'm the mommy and Sora is my husband, aren't you, So-kun?"_

"_Yes."_

"_Well, I'll get going then." I nod at Katie and wave at Sora. _

_Humph, who the heck does that kid think she is? She's so… conceited. It's hard to believe that she is only one year younger that me, when you watch the way she acts. And she was all over Sora! I mean, she's only known him for what, a couple of hours? Hey… I'm not getting jealous, am I?_

_I glance at the sky. It's getting dark already, even though it's only four o'clock. I need to get to the store pretty soon, so I break into a run._

_I wonder if this Katie girl goes to our school. If she does, then god help us. What we really don't need is an annoying little brat trailing behind us at recess. Oh well, even if she did, then it wouldn't be for very long because we're going to go to middle school next year. Sheesh, she's like an itching mosquito bite you're dying to-_

_CRASH. _

_Owch. I just slipped on some ice and landed head first in a pile of snow. This is an uncomfortable position to be in, especially if you aren't wearing clothes that are suited for cold weather._

"_Hey, be careful!" a voice calls from behind me. I swivel around and find myself looking up at the cutest boy I had ever laid eyes on in my entire life- well, apart from Sora, of course._

"_Uh-huh-huh," I stammer. The guy grins at me and extends his hand to help me up. Blushing, I take it. As he pulls me up, I estimate that he his about thirteen or fourteen, due to his height._

"_Name's Eichii. Yours?" he asks, squeezing my hand._

"_Kairi," I squeak._

"_You're not really dressed for this weather, are you?" he comments, eyeing my rather thin raincoat. _

"_No, 'round here we usually don't get much snow," I say._

"_Where I'm from, we get lots, so I'm all set when it comes to clothing."_

"_Where are you from?" I question. We don't get many tourists in the winter._

"_Hollow Bastion, Crystal Fissure District," he says proudly. I nod, even though I haven't the foggiest where it is, because I don't usually pay attention in my Geography class. "I'm an exchange student from there, he continues._

"_Really? Which school are you attending?"_

"_Destiny Island Elementary," he says. I can't believe my ears._

"_What?!" I exclaim in surprise. He doesn't look like an elementary school boy._

"_Yeah, I'll be in the sixth grade there," Eichii says._

"_Me too," I reply. He grins._

"_That's good, 'coz that means I've made a new friend," he says happily._

_A new friend… those words warmed my heart on that icy afternoon…_

_-End of Flashback-_

_So that's the story of how I met Eichii. Aaargh. I must stop remembering this or I'll go as red as a tomato, _Kairi thought to herself, gazing out of the window. It was Sunday morning, two days after she had found out the news about Sora and one day before he "moved in" with them. Kairi was determined to spend this day with her friends and to forget about the sucker she would have to share her house with for three weeks.

Despite the fact that she hated him ninety-nine percent of the time, there where occasions when Kairi felt all… um… weird about Sora. A miniscule amount of her heart was actually glad that he would be near her for a while. She didn't like to admit it, but she did feel oddly safe around him. The reason behind that was probably only because she had known him since she was tiny.

Yawning, Kairi dragged herself out of bed and searched her wardrobe for a wearable item of clothing inside it. She decided on a pair of denim shorts and a plain blue t-shirt.

Wearily, she trudged downstairs into the kitchen, finding her mother sipping a cup of coffee.

"Good morning, darling. Should I make you some toast?" Chiyo asked cheerfully. She put her cup down and pulled Kairi into a good-morning hug. Her daughter breathed in her warm smell of coffee beans and chocolate-chip muffins, and then pulled away.

"I still haven't forgiven you for what you did on Friday, Mom," Kairi grumbled. "And to answer your question, yes, I would like you to make me some toast."

"Ungrateful little missy." Chiyo affectionately ruffled Kairi's hair.

"Can't you put it off?" Kairi mumbled.

"No, I've agreed to this and we are going to stick with it," Chiyo said firmly. Kairi sighed. "Oh, don't be such a misery-guts, you'll enjoy yourself."

"Whatever," Kairi replied in a defeated tone of voice. Her mom popped some toast inside the toaster.

"You know, Kairi, I won't be surprised if-" Chiyo clapped a hand to her mouth.

"If what?"

"Nothing, nothing! Forget I ever mentioned anything." Chiyo gave a false laugh and went back to sipping her coffee.

"Hmph." Kairi stormed out of the kitchen and picked up the telephone. She dialled Naminé's number. The phone rang. And rang. And rang.

"Yoshizumi?" A sleepy Naminé answered was at the receiving end.

"Hi Nami, it's me."

"Kairi? Why are you phoning me? It's eight in the morning and you know how my family likes to sleep in on Sundays!"

"I was wondering if you would like to meet me at the island sometime today."

"Why? Are the others coming, too?"

"Dunno, I haven't called them yet," Kairi said. "But can you come? The thing is that… well."

"Sora's coming tomorrow," Naminé said sympathetically.

"Yeah."

"When?"

"As soon as possible. What 'bout ten?"

"Sure. See ya."

-A while later on the Destiny Islands (the place where the beginning of Kingdom Hearts is set, not the town area)-

""Kaikai! You and Sora would make a really really cute couple so why don't you use this time to seduce him?" Selphie asked Kairi with a dreamy look on her face.

"Because I don't _want _to seduce him! I don't like him," Kairi replied stubbornly. Naminé giggled.

"You really do talk about him a lot, don't you?" she said. "One could really think that you had a crush on Sora with the way you go on and on about him."

"Oh no, am I really that obvious?" Kairi wailed. Selphie grinned at her. Naminé was overcome by a fit of evil laughter and Olette almost dropped the book she was reading ("Hippocrates and his Medicine") in shock. "What?"

"You've practically admitted that you like Sora!" Selphie squealed. She grabbed Kairi's hands. "We'll give you makeovers! We'll turn you into a girly girl! We will get you and Sora together! Oh joy! It may seem hopeless, 'coz Sora pretends to hate you, but everything's possible with Selphie Tilmitt! I have a degree in matchmaking, you know!"

_A degree in matchmaking? How sad is that?_ Kairi thought. "Well, I never said that I liked him! It just sort of slipped out, you know," Kairi stated in her defense.

"Yeah, yeah that's what they all say," Selphie said in a bored voice.

"Can we please change the flipping subject?" Kairi snapped. "Oh, erm, interesting book, Olette. What's it about?

"This Greek doctor called Hippocrates and the sort of medicine he practiced," Olette murmured, without looking up from her book. "I'm currently reading a chapter on the Hippocratic oath, which was a code of decency doctors had to work by."

Selphie burst out laughing.

"I can't see what's so funny about that," Naminé said.

"Doctors-had-to-work-by-the-hypocrite-oath," Selphie spluttered. "So the doctors had to swear to be decent hypocrites! Funny. That's the last time I go to a doctor."

"Selphie…"

"Why are you reading about medicine, anyway? Do you want to be a doctor when you finish school?"

"Uh-huh." Olette's face reddened. "It's embarrassing."

"No it's not," Naminé said. "Plenty of people want to work in medicine."

"Yeah, and it's not nearly as stupid as wanting to run a dating agency, is it?" Selphie said. The others erupted in laughter.

"I want to be a fashion designer," Naminé said. "But I'm being a little too ambitious there, huh?"

"No, you'd do a great job," Kairi said encouragingly.

"What about you, Kairi?" Olette asked, turning the page.

"Um…"

"She wants to marry Sora and be a housewife," Selphie said in an exaggerated whisper.

"NO I DO NOT! I want to… I want to…"

"Stop beating around the bush and tell us!"

"Heck, she doesn't want to be a stripper, does she?"

"No, I want to write books!"

"Oh! Like that song by The Beatles called 'Paperback Writer!" Naminé began humming the tune of the song.

"There's a dirty story of a dirty man, and his cleaning wife doesn't understand," Selphie began in her awful singing voice, getting half the notes wrong.

"Please! Mercy! Don't sing!" Kairi screeched. "Anything's better than your vile voice."

"Even Sora?"

"Naw. Even your voice beats him."

The girls were reading, talking and staring into space under the paopu fruit tree on their favourite island that was part of the Destiny Islands. All but Yuffie, who was at home babysitting her brother, had been able to join Kairi and Naminé there.

"Hey gals, if you could share a paopu fruit with anybody, who would you choose to share it with?" Selphie asked. "I would probably pick Tidus. But Pence is nice, too. However, Riku is hot! Still, Yamato Ishida in twelfth grade can sing really well!"

"Me?" Olette looked up from her book and gazed at the sea. "Roxas."

"I would pick Hayner," Naminé said quietly.

"Sora," Kairi said almost inaudibly.

"What did you say, Kairi?"

"No, no. I wouldn't share it with anybody," Kairi muttered.

Selphie narrowed her eyes at her. "But I thought you said- never mind."

"Hey, why don't we take the non-hypocrite oath? We'll swear not to do anything that a hypocrite would do," Naminé said to create a diversion. "OK then- let's all link pinkies and repeat after me: I will not be a hypocrite…"

"I will not be a hypocrite…" the others chorused.

"I will not do anything to hurt my friends in any way…"

"I will not do anything to hurt my friends in any way…" the others repeated.

"I will hail Naminé and give her all my cookies."

"I will hail Naminé and give her all my- OI!"

"Ha-ha! Fooled ya!"

**OOOoooOOOoooOOO**

**So, the chapter is officially done! Yay! Here, have a slice of chocolate cake as a thank-you for reading this.**

**Kirika: OH THANK YOU! munchmunch**

**Saphyre: It's not for you oO**

**I won't be updating for at least two weeks because of a long and boring reason I don't have the energy to talk about at this moment.**

**See ya.**

**Saphyre Inferno**


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry for not updating sooner, but I've been on holiday for a while and haven't been able to get access to a computer with an internet connection. Also, I was writing this chapter and part of chapter five by hand but temporarily misplaced the notebook I was writing it in (lost is a strong word) but thankfully, I found it again or I would be having an utter and complete nervous breakdown over my poor organizational skills. And then, to cap it all, I purchased Final Fantasy X and became hopelessly addicted to it, which bodes bad news for my updating regime. Still, in Final Fantasy X I seriously do not get the point of Kimahri Ronso. The only thing he seems to do is slap Tidus when he tries to get into places and glare at you when you talk to him. And Seymour is really, REALLY annoying me (even though his attacks are sweet) because he keeps flirting with Yuna (can you define his stupid speeches as flirting?) and I want Yuna to end up with Tidus. Which she does. I've watched the kiss scene on YouTube ******** Oh well. Chapter four is officially hereeeee! **

**Kirika: I've said it once, I'll say it again: Saphyre does not own Kingdom Hearts. Shame. She also doesn't own Spot the Lovable Dog or whatever his name is but she has made up the other DVD. **

**Chapter 4**

**Mathematics, mould and other unpleasant entities **

"Thank you so much for letting Sora stay with you, you have no idea how much we appreciate it," Yukari thanked Chiyo.

"It's OK, we'll be glad to have him!" Chiyo said. "Have a great time!"

"We will do. If there are any problems, then do not hesitate to ring us," Yukari replied. The two women embraced. "Be good, Sora." She hugged him.

"Yes, Mom," Sora replied in a bored voice. Yukari pulled away, patted Kairi on the shoulder, and said her good-byes to them.

"See you soon," Chiyo called as Yukari drove off in her car. "OK, kids, lets get you some breakfast."

It was approximately quarter past eight on Monday, July 2nd 2007. Yukari Haruno had dropped off Sora at the Shirogane household and Kairi had been dreading this moment for days.

"What do you want to eat?" Chiyo asked, searching the refrigerator for edible bits and pieces. "We have cornflakes, toast, yoghurt and eggs."

"I'll take eggs," Sora said.

Kairi scowled at him. "Eggs are gross, Sora!"

He stuck his tongue out at her. "Tough luck, I like them."

"I don't!" She stamped her foot.

"You don't have to eat them, you know." He elbowed her.

"They smell awful!" Kairi shoved him back.

"Good!" Sora poked her in the stomach.

"You're impossible!" Kairi made a grab for the frying pan.

Sensing what she wanted to do, Chiyo put her foot in. "No, Kairi, you are **not **going to hit Sora with a frying pan. That stuff only happens in cartoons."

"He is as stupid as a cartoon character," Kairi grumbled, but put the pan down. "I'll have cornflakes."

"While I fry the eggs, can you give Sora a tour of the house?" Chiyo asked her daughter, forcing a smile on her face.

"He doesn't need one, he's been here plenty of times in the past," Kairi muttered. "Why are we acting like servants to him, anyway? It's not as if he's a VIP."

"He's our guest. It's polite to show him around," Chiyo said.

"See, Kairi, I'm the _guest._ It's your duty to do what I say," Sora added. Chiyo laughed.

"Fine, I'll show him around." Kairi flounced out of the room. "You coming or not?" she yelled at Sora. Reluctantly, the spiky-haired boy followed her. It was true, he had spent a lot of his time with Kairi a few years ago, but… things weren't like that nowadays, needless to say. He trailed up the stairs behind Kairi, who was muttering something that sounded slightly like what an estate agent would blabber while trying to sell a house to a client. Sora gave a nostalgic smile. This place brought back memories of his childhood.

_**F**__lashbac__**k**_

"_Sora, I know a fun game we can play on the stairs!" a seven-year old Kairi squealed happily, dancing at the top of the staircase. She watched her friend Sora, who was also seven; take his time walking up the stairs. "Why are you being so slow?"_

"_Stairs scare me," the little boy replied, his eyes wide. _

"_I'll help you up!" Kairi hopped down a few steps and extended her hand, which Sora gladly took. "See? There's nothing to be afraid of, now that I'm here!" Giggling, she pulled him up._

"_What was this great game you wanted to play, Kairi?" Sora asked._

"_I don't know what it's called, but you pretend that there are crocodiles at the bottom of the stairs and that the top of the stairs are a platform you can stand on. Then, one of us slips and falls-"_

"_Slips and falls? But that would hurt!" Sora exclaimed in terror._

_Kairi shook her head. "No, you silly-billy! We __pretend__ that one of us falls. Then, the one who doesn't fall down holds onto the hands of the one that did and the person that did has to bribe the person that didn't to pull them up. If the bribe isn't good enough, then you let go of the person and the crocodiles eat them. If the bribe is good, then you hold onto the person until they say a bad bribe. We count the bribes and whoever has said the most good bribes becomes the bribe master."_

"_Let's play it! Can I be the person who falls?" Sora said excitedly. Kairi nodded. "Yay!" Sora went down two steps, turned around and grabbed Kairi's outstretched hands. "I'll give you a muffin if you pull me up again!"_

_Kairi sighed and let go "The bribes were supposed to be like this. Watch." They switched places. "I'll give you lots and lots of gold and silver!" she said dramatically._

_To her surprise, Sora let go. "You don't have any gold or silver," he said._

"_Just pretend I do, OK?"_

_**E**__nd of flashbac__**k**_

"What are you laughing at?" Kairi snapped, glaring at him.

"I'm just remembering the time we played on the stairs when we were about seven years old," Sora said. "That must've been, what, nine years ago?"

"Yeah," Kairi said. "Boy, what a long time ago." Sora nodded. "Well then, let's stop thinking about old times and concentrate on today," she said in a brisk tone of voice. "You know where everything is, right?"

"Uh-huh."

"Then there's no need to show you everything again, right?" she asked.

"Uh-huh."

"Good. What do want to do instead?"

"Dunno. Dump my stuff in the guest room, I guess." Sora gestured at his heavy-looking rucksack. "It's doing my back in."

"Sure," Kairi replied. She led him to a room next to hers. "Don't ask me why they decided to have the guest room next to mine, 'coz I don't know. It'll be torture knowing I have to sleep near a being as ugly as you." Kairi swung the door open. "There ya go. Room sweet room."

Sora looked around the room. It wasn't a very exciting place, but not exactly unpleasant, either. The walls were painted white. The carpet was white. The bed was white. The curtains where white. Even the small table in the corner was white. The entire room looked much too clean compared to Sora's home.

"It looks very… tidy," Sora said nervously. Kairi snorted.

"Yes, it is. Big deal. It's the only place in the house that is, because my parents- I mean my mother wants to leave a good impression on guests."

Sora narrowed his eyes. "Your mother? Why not your father, too?"

Kairi shifted from side to side, gazing out of the window to focus on a shrub outside. "I thought you knew already. He's away doing community service in places where the people are really poor."

"Oh. Yes, my mom said something about that. Do you miss him?" Sora asked. Kairi nodded.

"He doesn't call very often because they don't have phones in the place where he's helping out. He's only able to give us a call when he visits a city to mail letters to us, his friends, and the rest of our family."

"He's coming back, isn't he?"

"He will, but we don't know when. Probably not for another two years," Kairi burst out, looking like she wanted to cry. "I don't know why he can't simply take a holiday and come visit us, I mean, it wouldn't be that expensive. But he always says the people there need him more. That's not true! Mom spends ages at night looking through old photo albums with pictures of him inside it. She thinks I don't know, but I know that she's missing him more that she'll admit to any of us. And I miss him, too! When I was younger, he had a less time-consuming job than mom had so he would be the person who'd be there for me the most. When someone that special to you leaves and says that others need him more than you do then you… then you… feel absolutely awful!"

Awkwardly, Sora patted Kairi on the shoulder. It was in situations like this when he didn't know what to say or what to do. "Hey, you said that he'd be back in a while, right? Look forward to that time."

"Yes, but… there's still a part of me that worries that he'll decide to stay there for good," she sobbed.

For an inexplicable reason, Sora suddenly pulled Kairi into a hug. "It's… all right to be upset, Kairi," he said. "Still, I'm sure that he still thinks about you a lot. I mean, out of sight doesn't always mean out of mind, does it?" Kairi shook her head. "You'll see him again. And if he won't visit you then you can go visit him, whether he likes it or not."

"Mm-hmm," Kairi mombled. "I guess you are-"

"Kairi! Sora! Breakfast's ready!" A cheerful voice called from downstairs. Instantly, Kairi regained her composure and quickly pulled away from Sora.

"I don't know what came over me," she said briskly, straightening up to her full height. "Sorry I used you as a tissue." She made a dash out of the room, leaving a disgusted Sora behind.

"You used me to wipe your snot on?" he shouted after her. He heard merry laughter coming from the stairs.

"Gee, can't you take a joke?"

OoO

Kairi had just finished munching her first strawberry-jam covered piece of toast when Chiyo re-entered the kitchen. "I'm sorry, but I have to go to work now. Kairi, you make sure Sora is comfortable, OK? Sora, feel free to make yourself at home. I'll be back at about five but I'll call if there are any delays." She smiled nervously. "Please don't try to kill each other, OK?"

Kairi giggled quietly. "We won't, mom." She waved her mother out of the room. "But that doesn't mean that the idea isn't tempting," she added in an undertone.

"You have homework in Maths, right?" Sora asked gruffly.

"And in English, Science, Japanese and History," Kairi sighed. "It really sucks. If you're not going to move over the summer they give you piles of work as a taster of the stuff you'll get in the next year. Pointless, huh?"

"Yeah. Um… could you help me with some of the Maths? I suck at it."

Kairi rolled her eyes. "Why do you expect me to give you a hand with it?"

"Because you're extremely clever."

"Flattery won't get you anywhere, Sora," Kairi said sweetly, smearing jam onto her second slice of toast.

Sora glared at her. "Nice person, aren't you?" he muttered though a mouthful of fried egg.

"Thank you for the compliment." She bit into the toast, enjoying the sweetness of the jam that filled her mouth.

"Please will you help me?" Sora put on his I'm-so-innocent-and-sweet face. Exasperated, Kairi emitted a sigh.

"No! There's no point helping you. You always copy off me if you get the chance to."

"Less of the cheek! I do not copy off you," Sora said in his defence.

"Oh yes you do. D'you remember day we had to turn in a sheet of answers to questions to Mr. Inao, the maddening maths teacher, who noticed that our answers for question 4b were identical?"

Sora's eyes narrowed at the memory. "Oh yes. We both got detention and we ended up-"

"Throwing the pencils we were supposed to sort out at one another because the supervising teacher wouldn't make an appearance," Kairi finished for him. "One pencil nearly hit me in the eye- you were being really nasty to me on that day, Sora."

"That was only because you were being ditzy towards me," Sora replied. "I, Mr. Perfect, am never evil."

Kairi choked on the mouthful of food she was chewing on. Automatically, Sora thumped her on the back. "Stop that!" she coughed. It hurts!"

"Good."

"That's really not nice, Sora." Kairi shot an angry look at him. "Let me think- how could you repent for the sin you just committed?"

"I don't think I've committed any sins."

"Yeah, right. You've really convinced me to think that way." Kairi's eyes settled on the frying pan that was lying in the sink. She stood up, pushed her chair back, and fished it out. Sora eyed her warily.

"You're not really going to clonk me one, are you?" he asked quietly. Kairi's hands gripped tighter around the pan's handle.

"Not really." Kairi reached out and took an apple from the white fruit bowl with the red polka-dots. She tossed it up in the air and swung the pan at it- presumably so she could hit Sora's head with a nice green apple. Luckily for him, Kairi wasn't good at sports, especially tennis, cricket or baseball, so the apple only glanced off his shoulder.

"Oh, I never knew that food fighting was an Olympic event," Sora said scornfully. He grabbed a handful of egg of his plate and flung it at her face.

"EEEEEEEW! GET IT OFF ME! I HATE EGGS!" Kairi screamed. "They smell so… so… EGG-LIKE!" Fuming, she wiped it off her face and hurled it back at Sora, who in turn, picked up her toast and threw it at her. "Hey! That was my piece of toast and you have no right to touch it!"

"Wow. Do you really think I care about whose toast it is?" snarled Sora.

"You'd better care, Smelly Socks!" Kairi bellowed. Sora's eyebrows twitched in pure rage.

"Why are you using _his _nickname for me?" Sora growled. "You know I can't stand it."

"Well, do you really think I care if you like that name or not?" Kairi asked.

"HUMPH. I think that you are asking for a punishment." Sora got up and began edging closer and closer to Kairi. In a frenzy, Kairi sensed what malign intentions were circling his pea-sized brain and tried to make a dash for the door.

It was too late. Sora grabbed her by the waist and steered her into the corner of the kitchen. "Please don't- hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!" Kairi exploded into a fit of maniacal laughter as Sora began to tickle her sides. "No- mercy- I don't like- to be tickled!"

"It's such a shame that I like to tickle you, then," Sora said. "Hmm… I might consent to stop it if you promise me one thing."

"Which would be…?"

"That you help me with my homework."

"NO!"

"Then be prepared for some serious torture."

"Fine," Kairi gasped.

"Do you promise me?"

"Yes- anything- as long as you stop- this."

"Good. It's a deal."

"I still can't believe that I agreed with this," Kairi muttered as she pointed out a mistake Sora had made.

"Heh, I guess that you can get anything if you only use a little force," Sora chortled, only to be swatted with a maths textbook. He countered it with a nimble thrust of a pencil case.

Kairi scowled at him. "You think fighting is the only solution to problems, right?"

He shook his head. "Nah. That'd apply to you, though. I mean, you always argue with me."

"Kindly remember that you used a method of torture to get me to lend a hand with your homework."

"Which silly little girl tired (and failed, for your information) to batter me with a frying pan?"

Kairi shot her supersonic, utterly evil glare of doom at Sora. "Well, who was the silly little boy who tried to contaminate the kitchen with the stench of eggs?"

"Humph."

Kairi jabbed her finger at yet another error Sora had made. "Sheesh, these problems aren't that hard, you know. Can't you even multiply?"

"Just because you're one of the best students in the class doesn't mean you have to rub it in," Sora whined, his brain clouded over with depressing little numbers that cackled in a malevolent manner. "Not everyone can be a genius."

"It doesn't take a genius to work these out," she said, her voice changing from being irritated to being impatient. "If you'd only listen to the teacher in class-"

"Help! Kairi has morphed into my mom!" Sora raised his hands in mock horror, and then lowered his right arm so he could consult his trusty wristwatch for the time. "Hey, how can it be 5:17 PM already?" he complained.

"Easy. After we had that little 'food fight' we had to clean up the kitchen and get washed ant change our clothes, which took a good half-hour. Then, we had to do the dishes, which wouldn't have taken so long if you hadn't splashed me at every possible opportunity-"

"Oi! You started it!" Sora cut in. Kairi rolled her eyes.

"Would you let me finish? Well, because of your stupid little antics, it took ages to wash up. Then, you went jobbing and left me to clean the kitchen **again. **When you got back we got straight to work, and that's what we've been doing for the past to hours.

"Two hours?! Time for a well-earned rest!" Sora exclaimed joyously. He closed his book with a snap. "What do you suggest we do now?"

"What I suggest we do? **We do?** I'm not your mother, thank goodness, so you can bloody well amuse yourself!" Kairi snapped irritably.

"But I don't know what to do," Sora whined. "Pretty pretty please with paopu fruit on top?"

"Paopu fruit? Ew! You aren't hinting at something, are you?" Kairi shrieked, upsetting her glass of orange juive.

"No way! Let me ask you a serious question: which nutter would **want **to intertwine their destiny with you?" Sora mocked her. She snarled and made a lunge for him which he skilfully dodged. "I mean, you're just a puny, quick-tempered, hare-brained little twit!"

Evidently Sora had gone too far. Kairi's expression changed to what strongly reminded one of a bull about to charge. "No one," she fumed, "calls me a twit and lives." Silently, Sora prayed to the gods of adolescence that there would be a diversion, any sort of diversion to prevent Kairi from killing him. And, as if on cue, the telephone rang. "Drat," muttered Kairi. She rushed out of the room to answer the phone. "Hello, Kairi Shirogane speaking."

"Hi, sweetie! It's Mom. I'm just calling to tell you that I'll be a little later home than usual. There's some chicken left over from last night in the freezer, which you can heat up for your supper," a happy little voice was blaring from the telephone.

"What time will you be back?" Kairi asked. _Hopefully not too late_, she thought to herself.

"About eight or nine, not sure."

"What? That's **late!**" Kairi yelled down the phone line. "You really don't expect me to hang around with Sora until you come back, do you?"

"Wait a sec- sorry, my boss is calling! Must rush!" And that was that.

A severely disgruntled Kairi trailed back into the living room. "Mom just called," she told a puzzled Sora. "She won't be back until between eight and nine."

"Oh dear," Sora said in a monotone voice. "What are we to do?"

It was almost as if a light bulb had flashed on in Kairi's mind. "I know what we are to do." She walked over to the shelf where her family kept the DVDs. "We're going to watch this!" Kairi shrieked triumphantly, holding up a brightly coloured DVD case. Sora simply blinked at her.

"Spot the Lovable Dog?" he said doubtfully, eyeing the colourful cartoon puppy with immense disdain.

"Wait and see what it really is!" Kairi slotted the DVD into its player. After all the little intro things had run, Sora was finally enlightened on what the DVD was about. Blood-chilling music filled the room.

This so wasn't Spot the Lovable Dog.

No way.

It was called 'The Possessed Mould Strikes Again'.

"Yuffie lent it to me," Kairi explained. "She said that it was really good. However, I was worried that Mom might object to it so I hid it in here and I've been waiting for an opportunity like this to see what it's all about." She pressed the play button on the remote control.

At first, the film looked relatively harmless. It was a totally normal day at a totally normal school in a totally normal science lesson. Suddenly, a student accidentally spilled a mysterious substance over some mould that was growing inside a beaker. The mould mutated into a huge blob of disgustingness which devoured the class teacher.

The sight made Kairi's stomach churn. It would've just about been all right if the monster had swallowed the teacher, but… you could actually **see** the all the lime-green organs at work as well as gain a peek of the teacher in his digested state, which was **not **pretty. Afterwards, the blob of doom proceeded to destroy an entire city, doing more digesting (and some regurgitating- ick). To make matters worse, the people who were supposed to be hindering the monster panicked, ran around like headless chickens and fired their machine guns at anything that dared to move.

"Ugh. Yuffie must have a strong stomach," Sora whispered fearfully while a woodcutter, gripping his chainsaw, flew at the blob, only to run through it (after all, it was only slime gone wrong) and to collide with an innocent passer-by.

"You're right." Kairi shuddered and made a grab for Sora's arm. However, the worst was yet to come. From the toxic trail of slime the mould left behind, arose little slime-beasties who actually looked sort of cute at first. But not for long. The mini-slimes hurled themselves at the population of this unfortunate town and began pumping toxins into their bodies. Oh. Oh no. This was too much. There was a close up of a man whose head was swelling to extreme proportions and… Kairi didn't see the next bit because incontrollable insanity had gripped her and she had buried her head in Sora's shoulder.

"Bloody hell," Sora muttered. And yes, this phrase fit perfectly to the situation in the movie.

"Turn. It. Off. **Now**," Kairi pleaded, digging her fingernails into his arm.

"Gladly," Sora replied. "Um, but I don't know how to…"

"There's a green button on the remote," was the muffled reply. Sora switched the TV off and both teens breathed a sigh of relief. All was well again.

Kairi released Sora's arm from her vice-grip. "I'm never borrowing a DVD from Yuffie again."

"Smart decision," he said. "By the way, your fingernails need cutting," he added, trying to pick a fight with his red-haired companion. "I think I'll have **scars **from where you forced those claws into my skin."

"Shut up, Sora," Kairi retorted. "You're just jealous because you bite your nails."

"I DO NOT BITE MY NAILS!" Sora exclaimed angrily. "I used to but I've grown out of that habit."

"Let me see, then," demanded Kairi. Stubbornly, Sora put his hands behind his back.

"What do you want to see my hands for?" Sora questioned. "Are you a matron, or what? Matron Kairi! Hey, that has a nice ring to it! Matron Kairi!" For what seemed the millionth time, Kairi fired her glare of doom at him.

"Can't you shut your cakehole for more than one second?"

"No. Aw, don't glare at me like that, you'll get wrinkles. Correction, you already **have **wrinkles. And is that a grey hair I see?" he teased shamelessly.

"Stop it, Sora!" Kairi exploded. She gathered up her school stuff which was still lying on the coffee table. "This was the last time I ever help you out with your homework!" she shouted. "Why can't you ever understand?" Kairi stormed out of the room in a temper, muttering which sounded suspiciously like "Men are the biggest berks on the planet! Tcha!"

Sora chuckled quietly to himself. It was such fun to wind Kairi up. He wasn't too bothered about not being helped with Maths. After all, he could always bribe her (or force her) to help him. Tomorrow was another day.

**Yawn. I'm tired.**

**See ya.**

**Saphyre Inferno**


	5. Chapter 5

Nyeh. I haven't updated in yonks. I feel bad.

But ALAS! What is that I see here? Chapter five? Woo.

**Kirika: **Sorry that Saphyre hasn't updated, mehehehehe. School had been pretty busy, and then she went on holiday to Shanghai, China and Nagasaki in Japan.

**Saphyre: **Oo-er! Nagasaki was lovely. SWOON, SWOON, SWOON. I would've updated sooner, but... I AM SO BUSY. Seventh grade has started and we've had, like, a dozen projects and essays to do. And I am also taking part in my school's "fashion show" in which we have to make outfits out of random materials. This year it's milk cartons. It's pretty difficult.

**Kirika: **Whatever. Now to the disclaimer. Saphyre Inferno doesn't own Kingdom Hearts. HA. Chance would be a fine thing.

**C_hapter 5 of Three Weeks_**

**"Shopping"**

**_By Saphyre Inferno_**

NaNa has signed in

**Shirozora: thank goodness ur here**

**NaNa: elloooo kairi**

**Shirozora: Hi...**

**NaNa: how was it then?**

**Shirozora:... **

**NaNa: it cant have been that terrible.**

**Shirozora: no..**

**Shirozora: but**

**Shirozora: ... why did sora have to come along**

**NaNa: dont ask moi**

**NaNa: i wasnt there numbskull**

**Shirozora: yeah u were on a DATE**

**NaNa: WASNT**

**Shirozora: oo was it?**

**NaNa: fine ... hayner**

**Shirozora: LE GASP**

**Shirozora: but u aint suited!**

**NaNa: soz...**

**Shirozora: u would look cute with roxie**

**NaNa: ollie likes him**

**Shirozora: or tidus**

**NaNa: one word- yuna**

**Shirozora: or cloudiekins!**

**NaNa: hes dating tifa lockheart**

**Shirozora: but u and hayner... well ur really sweet and hes so impatient!**

**NaNa: im sorry.**

**NaNa: ...**

**Shirozora: it ok but... why hayner?**

**NaNa: i admire his confidence.**

**NaNa: well tell me about ur day!**

**Shirozora: dont change teh subject**

**Shirozora: o FINE**

**Shirozora: well u no**

**Shirozora: shopping with selphie rox and ollie**

**NaNa: dont forget sooooorraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa**

**Shirozora: ur ded!**

**NaNa: lol**

**Shirozora: mention his name and ill broil u**

**NaNa: well spilleth teh beeeeenz!!!**

**Shirozora: nyeh fine**

**

* * *

**

"For heaven's sake, Kairi,** smile** a bit! Olette hissed into Kairi's ear as they stood at the bus stop.

"Hmph. I don't see why we had to bring **him** along," Kairi whispered, gesturing at Sora who was having a merry little conversation with Roxas and Selphie.

"It's his day off and it'd be fun going shopping with more people," Olette replied. "Anyway, Roxas would be the only guy with us and it might've been uncomfortable for him."

"But we're his friends," Kairi said. "Who invited him along? I don't mind, don't get me wrong, but I'm just curious."

Olette blushed. "Uh, well..."

"Tell me!" Kairi clutched Olette's hands. "OH!" Kairi's face broke out into a wide grin.

"Yes." Olette's face was redder than ever. "I did."

"Hah! Knew you liked him!" Kairi exclaimed in delight. She was proud of Olette for making a move at last. If she got together with Roxas, then... well! They would be a good couple. "I knew it!" She punched the air.

"Will you ever shush?" Olette clampled a hand over her friend's mouth. "They're staring at us!" By they, Kairi assumed that she meant Roxas. After all, Sora and Selphie probably had guessed that Olette fancied him.

Kairi grinned apologetically. "Sorry. I didn't mean to sound like Selphie." At the mention of her name, Selphie turned to look at Kairi, a quizzical look in her eyes.

"What's wrong with sounding like me?" Selphie questioned perkily. "I know I'm a crap singer, but..." Olette buried her face in her hands and Kairi began giggling. Suddenly, it clicked. "OH YEAH!"

"Um, I'm sorry to interrupt, but..." Roxas sounded embarrassed. "The bus is coming." And surely enough, a bus with the number 15 was chugging from the distance.

"Oh! Thanks, Roxas. Yep, looks like the bus IS coming!" Olette burbled. She retrieved her purse from hear rucksack and sorted out coins for her ticket. "100... 200... yes, I have enough! You'd better make sure you have money, too!"

Roxas grinned shyly. "Yah, guess you're right." Selphie and Kairi caught each other's eye, erupting in as-silent-as-possible giggles. Sora stared at them.

"What's so funny?"

Kairi stopped laughing and frowned at Sora. "Yeesh, you STILL haven't cottoned on? Wow! You're a DOOFUS!"

"Why are you always so prickly?" Sora was furious. "I'm a guy! I don't speak the language of the girls! Why do you expect me to... to... be able to talk to you as if I were a girl, same as you?"

"Shut up, you two," Selphie said amusedly. She turned towards Sora and whispered, "We think that Olette and Roxas definitely have a thing going on!"

"See? Girly thing. I a guy. Me no understand."

Kairi looked ready to strangle Sora, but the bus had arrived, and had already swung open its doors. "You!" she said fiercely. "I'll settle my score with you later!" Sora shrugged, and pushed ahead of her. "Geez, what a dork," she muttered at Selphie. "It's a wonder he hasn't been deported to the asylum yet."

"Come on, he's not that bad."

"YES, he is!"

"You just don't know him." Selphie looked at Kairi irritatedly. "Maybe if you'd bother-"

Kairi shouted, "Don't even mention getting to know him better! I know him very well indeed!" Selphie gave her her "hurt" look, which finally softened her angry spirit. "Oh, Sel," she said quietly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to shout."

"Oh, never mind!" Selphie was perky again. "I suppose I'll simply have to try harder!" She grabbed Kairi's arm and cheerfully tugged her onto the bus. "Nothing's impossible for Selphie Tilmitt!"

"Hey!" Kairi was uncomfortably sandwiched between a pudgy woman and an elderly man as Selphie proceeded to pay for their fares. "I need- to- give you- my money! And what did you man by- you- having to try- harder?"

"I meant that I'll have to change my matchmaking tactics!" Selphie said gaily. "I'm not gonna give up!"

"Oh CRAP." Kairi could feel the will to live slowly ebb away as it dawned on her that Selphie would probably be trying to get her with Sora for the next century. If not longer.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXx

A while later

The gang got off the bus about half an hour later. Roxas and Sora were having a "manly" talk about "manly" things such as the new shooting game that was rumoured to have been installed in the best arcade in the Destiny Island city centre.

"Yeah, it's supposd to have really good graphics and all that," Roxas said enthusiastically. "Dunno what it's called."

"My cousin Luneth said it's mega fun. He lives in Midgar- well, actually he's from Ur, but he goes to university in Midgar. They're supposed to have the best new technological things there," Sora added.

"Which university is it?" Olette asked.

"Dunno."

"Clueless," muttered Kairi, but, for once, was tired of fighting with Sora. She then had a brainwave. "Hey, Roxas? Can I have a word?"

"Sure!" Roxas turned to Kairi. "What's up?"

"Uh... well, come over here." She dragged him a few meters away from the others so they would be out of earshot. "Well, the thing is... ask Olette out. Please."

Roxas looked taken aback. "Huh?"

"You heard me." Kairi looked at him with a pleading look in her eyes. "You know the Paopu Fruit Festival is coming up? Ask her to that."

"OK," Roxas said. He grinned at her. "Why did you ask me to?"

"Cause you like her." Kairi smiled evilly. "And she likes you."

"Good guess." Roxas grinned with an even more evil aura. "And now you have to ask out the guy you like."

The request caught her off guard. "Huh?"

"You know." Roxas flicked a lock of hair out of his eyes. "Sora."

"WHAT?"

"Heh. Come on."

"I... I don't..."

"You do. Quit denying it."

"Uh, FINE! But it'll be our secret, 'kay?"

Roxas smirked. "Yup." They rejoined the group.

"So, what do you guys want to do?" Selphie asked cheerily.

"The book shop!" Kairi said enthusiastically. Olette nodded.

"Good idea!"

"Or art supplies!" Kairi suggested blissfully.

"Nah, sweets! We have to buy sweets!" Sora said.

"Or the yukata place! The Paopu Festival is coming up."

"Sunspot Amusements!" Roxas chimed.

"Uh, OK," Selphie looked confused. "But where to first?"

"What about we walk around and see what the stores are offering, then go to the book shop. After that, we go to Sunspot, then have lunch, get some sweets for dessert, and than we go and buy our yukata," Kairi suggested. The others nodded in agreement.

"Um, hang on a minute," Selphie said. "I..."

"You what?"

"I'd like to go somewhere. It's not too far away, and I haven't been there since I was, hmm, 13?"

"Sure! Where is it?"

"I'll show you!" Selphie rushed ahead and the others followed, wondering what this place would be.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Oh." Kairi was speechless. She gazed up at the huge pink sign. "OH."

Olette grinned amusedly. "Hehehe, interesting choice, Sel."

"Do we have to go there?" Roxas and Sora said in unison, their faces white.

"Yep!" Selphie smiled ecstatically. "Let me present to you... the Sanrio shop!" She giggled. "Hello Kitty, Cinnamoroll, HERE I COME! YAYNESS!"

Roxas sighed. "I can't believe you actually like Hello Kitty."

Selphie frowned at him and cocked her head to one side. "'Tis very kawaii!" The boys exchanged looks. "Oh, come on, you killjoys!"

"But that place is for GIRLS." Sora uncomfortably observed the mass of little girls rushing into the store. "We can't go in."

"Guess what, you are a girl," muttered Kairi. Together with Selphie she forced him through the shop's doors, while Olette and Roxas trailed behind them.

"Gedoffme!" Sora protested loudly, struggling against the grils' grip. However, his efforts were in vain- they had already yanked him past the entracnce.

The interior of the building was colourful and, well, cute, but slightly on the kiddy side, which wasn't really surprising. The shelves were stacked with merchandise which all had the same little kitten printed on it. Sora flushed as he noticed that he was the only boy in the shop aside from Roxas, who was chatting away to Olette about their favourite toys as kids, and middle-aged men who were making the plushies talk to their daughters.

"Thanks a lot, Selphie," he grumbled. To his dismay, neither Selphie and Kairi or Roxas and Olette where anywhere near him- selphie probably had dragged them into some far-off corner to admire the newest lunch boxes. This was completely and utterly disgraceful. Sora swore in what he hoped was a quiet voice. Oh. Evidently not. The mother of a small, fair-haired boy spun around and glared furiously at him.

"Young man, could you please curb that foul mouth of yours? There are children in this shop!" she said sourly. It probably didn't earn Sora any brownie points when the boy repeated the forbidden word experimentally, laughing. "Don't ever say that again, Kensuke!" his mother bellowed. She shot a nasty look at Sora and propelled her son outside, but set the security alarms off. She had forgotten that Kensuke was clutching a Cinnamoroll mug. Sora sniggered.

"Serves the old bat right," he chortled, but realized that it would be a good idea to get out of the much-too-cute-for-his-linking place as soon as humanly possible. Other parents were staring at him, frowning. And as he couldn't see any of his friends anywhere, he decided that it would be a great idea to escape.

For about ten minutes he waited outside, whistling a slow funeral march. Eventually Kairi and the others appeared, carrying little pink bags with the horribly familiar cat on it.

"Where were you, Sora?" Kairi looked at him reproachfully. "Let me guess... you scarpered because you're too chicken to handle the colour pink."

Sora rolled his eyes. "Yeah, totally. What do you girls find so cute about that creepy cat?"

"It's sweet! If you want to see anything creepy, take a look at Winnie the Pooh!"

"You're afraid of Pooh?" Sora hooted with laughter.

"Do you have any idea how disgusting that just sounded?" Olette squeaked, but the two bickering teens weren't paying attention to her.

Kairi nodded ferociously. "He's really evil! Listen to his malevolent little snigger! Look at his seemingly harmless expression which is, in fact, hiding a disturbed, homicidal personality! HIDEOUS!"

"OK, OK, we've got it." Roxas let out an exasperated sigh. "We're going to the bookshop now, anyway."

"All right."

"Hey, can I tell you a really romantic story?" Selphie begged when they had started to walk.

"Fire away."

She took a deep breath. "You know the Paopu Festival?"

"No duh, we're not simpletons."

"Whatever. Do you know the story behind it?"

"Nah."

"It's so totally cute! Well, the Paopu Festival was based off the legend of the paopu fruit, which you know already."

"Yeah, when people share one, their destinies are supposed to be connected, right?"

"Correct. Yes, yes, if the festival is based on that legend, then the festival obviously symbolizes love, friendship and the power of destiny. Traditionally on the day of the festival, people dress up in kimono or yukata and give their loved ones gifts such as star-shaped biscuits, plushies and sweets. Not only lovers do this; friends and family also generously give away goodies! And the coolest thing is-" Selphie clasped her hands together, her green eyes starry, "-if you share a paopu fruit on that day, your destiny is not only intertwined, but your souls will be connected, so whether you and this person are alive or dead, you will always have a bond! I've heard that the festival was created by a yound prince whose girlfriend died of pneumonia several hundred years ago. She had been so fond of those little fruit that he wanted to do something to honour her after her death- cool, huh?"

"Yes..." Sora said, but actually found it kind of sappy

Selphie kept blabbering. "Who are you guys asking out for it?"

"There's someone I have in mind," Roxas said, going crimson.

"Me too." Olette went cherry.

"Me three," Sora whispered, his head strongly resembling a tomato.

_For some reason, that makes me really angry!_ Kairi thought. _I'm not je- no! I am so totally not jealous! I'm only feeling sorry for the poor girl he's considering!_ "OK, you people who seem so madly in love, snap out of it," she said. "You'll walk into a pole if you don't look up soon."

"Really?" The people who were madly in love looked up anxiously.

Kairi sniggered. "Kidding!"

"Can't you ever be serious?" Sora grumbled, and gave her a shove.

"Stop it!"

"You started it!"

"You're annoying!"

"And you're a freakoid!"

"WHAT?"

"I said you are a- MMFR!" Roxas had clamped a firm hand over Sora's mouth.

"Once you two have formed a temporary truce, you'll see that we've arrived at our destination," he said, swiftly pushing them through the shop's doors.

* * *

Oh, I am sooooo pissed off! I spent an hour typing up the extra bits to this chapter and then i experienced network problems and it all got lost! It was actually about 1000 words or s longer.

aAAAAAAAH.

At leat you can expect to see chappie 6 VERY SOON.

Hmph.

Saphyre inferno


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters. I also make a lot of references to ****some other Square Enix stuff, and I don't own them, either.**

… **I own the assistant, though.**

**Chapter 6 of Three Weeks**

**By Saphyre Inferno**

"**Our Book"**

For bookworms like Kairi and Olette, this particular bookshop was heaven on earth. It sold everything from picture books to thick history textbooks.

For non-bookworms such as Selphie (who only consented to read shojo manga and romance novels), Roxas and Sora, it didn't hold quite as much charm but was still a fun place to browse.

"Welcome!" a dusk-haired assistant trilled, waving at them. "Be sure to take a look at our bargain bin- all books in there are at half price! Special offers guaranteed for great books to feed your hungry brain!"

"Well, if they feed our brain then they obviously are school books, and there's no way you'll get me to read any stuff relating to that prison camp," Sora muttered.

Kairi sighed. "You're so immature, Sora." However, her irritation was blown away when she looked around the shop. It was a peaceful place, so calm and inviting when compared to the hustle and bustle of Destiny Island's town centre. Normally she'd spend ages picking out things to read, but as she could sense Selphie and the others growing impatient, she walked over to the bargain bin and began to search through it for any decent stuff.

To her surprise, there was no second hand junk inside the bin, but some very popular novels which had only been placed in there because they had been reprinted with more attractive covers. Kairi's heart missed a beat when she came across some of her favourite books of all time, "Let Me Be Your Canary", "Part of Your World", "To Zanarkand" as well as "One-Winged Angel", only to remember that she had already purchased them a few years ago. Finally, Kairi decided on two books, one called "The Summoner's Daughter", the other "Interrupted by Fireworks". She was about to rush to the counter to purchase them when something else caught her eye…

… It was an ultra-expensive, limited edition copy of "The Art of Let Me Be Your Canary"!

"It can't be…" Kairi was gobsmacked. "That book was sold out three or more years ago," she mumbled to herself and made a grab for it.

"Hey!" A horribly familiar voice blurted out. "I was going to pick that up!" Kairi groaned, and looked into the grotesquely nastily _freakishly adorable_ face of her worst enemy… it was, obviously, none other than Sora.

"Oh_, shut up._" Kairi was sick of him and his freakishly adorable face and the way they always **bickered** at each other. "Not _again._"

"I could say the same," said Sora, scratching his head. "But seriously, I found that book before you and I intend to buy it before you, too!"

Kairi clutched the glossy artbook to her chest and snapped, "I've been looking for it all over the place since my thirteenth birthday. You WON'T take it from me! I repeat! You WON'T!"

"Hang on. I LOVE THAT MOVIE!" Sora exclaimed in irritation. "I don't see why you get it when you always moaned like a dying cat when I watched it at your house-"

"Dying cats don't moan."

"What do you know?"

"I know that I'm going to buy this book right now!" Kairi dodged past him and hurtled towards the cash register in a flurry. She handed it to the same dusk-haired assistant who had welcomed them and stuck her tongue out at Sora while the lady checked the price.

The woman smiled at her innocently. "Funny pal of yours, ne?"

Nodding, Kairi's expression darkened. "Yeah."

The woman giggled- she really was more like a girl in some aspects- and trilled in her high voice, "3200 munny, please."

Grinning back at her, Kairi dug around in her purse for the correct change. There was a thousand-munny-note, and two five-hundreds… that made 2000… another six hundred were in the form of coins… damn… this was costly… two fifty-munny coins finally spilled out onto the counter, but only bringing her total up to 2700 munny. "No!" Kairi gasped, and the woman told her in the same oddly high voice that she didn't have enough, which was basically spoon-feeding the obvious. Kairi felt like panicking. This was embarrassing- but also disappointing. She really had loved the CGI movie of "Let Me be Your Canary"… it was a shame that she couldn't purchase it.

Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder, and a voice was talking to the shop assistant, telling her that he'd pay half. Gulping, Kairi looked up to face this stranger, and found herself gazing at Sora. It wasn't really that surprising to see him standing there, paying for her…

Kairi looked back down, and, although she didn't like to admit it, she blushed a little. She had known that Sora wouldn't really let her down and buy the book himself, mocking her because she hadn't enough money. Maybe, deep down, they were still friends.

Maybe Sora wasn't that bad.

"You have a nice funny pal!" the woman said sweetly, and Kairi found herself laughing, and to add to her surprise, Sora laughed too and pulled her out of the shop, while Selphie, who was next in line, handed over the money for yet another teen romance.

There was a nearly painful silence despite the cheeriness of the outside kerfuffle.

"Um…" Kairi stared at the ground. "Thanks… I really appreciated that."

"No problem!" She could hear Sora snorting with laughter.

"What?"

"I only did it so I could have fifty percent or whatever of the ownership of the book."

"WHAT!?"

"I only-" Sora didn't get a chance to complete his sentence because Kairi had, almost quire literally, exploded.

"YOU PATHETIC, EVIL RAT! I KNEW YOU COULD NEVER DO SOMETHING MILDLY KIND!" were the furious words of the furious girl. "I'LL NEVER SPEAK TO YOU AGAIN!"

"Good."

Deep, deep down, Kairi sensed that she would never be friends with the spiky haired twit again.

And she couldn't give two hoots about it. She loathed him more that Winnie the Pooh, and that was saying something.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

After making their way through several other shops (mainly stores to do with clothing, sweets, games and stationary) the group collapsed in a heap on one of the picnic tables in Harebell Park, exhausted. Selphie and Roxas ran off to buy hot dogs (for Olette and Sora), sushi (which Kairi and Selphie decided to share) and a hamburger (Roxas' favourite food) from nearby stalls while the others chilled out a bit.

Olette was reading Selphie's teen romance novel ("Actually, it's pretty well-written," Olette had added nonchalantly when Roxas poked fun at her) while Sora pretended to sleep. Kairi was writing things down in a new pink notebook which she had dubbed her next diary.

She hadn't kept a diary since… since…

No.

It was too painful to even write in her diary, so Kairi decided to scribble a list of what the others had bought.

_**We went shopping today… and yeah, Sora (king of… nah, I won't describe him too vividly yet in case he looks over my shoulder and scalps me) came as well.**_

_**He's a really idiotic puny stupid person.**_

_**What did I ever see in him?**_

_**He is a brat. **_

_**I'm bored. Olette, Sora and I are sitting at a picnic table in Harebell Park while Sel and Roxas get our food. They buy it; we pay for it (although I only have 400 munny on me).**_

_**Otherwise… I am chronicling our buys here, simply because I have nothing better to do.**_

_**Me: 1/2 a book (Sora the puny twit owns the other one), a black shirt that was at a discount price of only 600 munny and some lipgloss. Also, Selphie bought me this notebook and I'll pay her back at home. It's pink (no duh, lol) and has a flower on the front- really pretty!!! Thanks Sel xxx**_

_**Selphie: Two shirts (one pink and one green) and half a ton of make up plus a book about a girl who falls in love with her teacher. Olette's reading it now. I know Selphie bought a lot… but she bought a lot of money with her.**_

_**Olette: A set of pens and a gluestick (actually it's awesome. The glue is orange) as well as a pretty silver necklace**_

__

_**Roxas: Roxie only bought the new "Avalanche" CD. He adores that band, but Olette hates them and he sometimes plays the song she hates the most, My Ex(ploded) Girlfriend, only to piss her off. I think they'll get together some day and that song will play at their wedding, hehehe.**_

_**Sora: Half of (MY) book and lots of sweeties. What a plonker.**_

_**As you can see, Sora buys pointless things and is a right-**_

_**OH!**_

_**My sushi's here! All hail sushi!**_

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

A/N: Wow. Took me ages to update,

Next one up soon…

And I mean it.

Saphyre Infernon


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